I have posted this photo before when I wrote about the Messinian Bay. This was the view from our hotel balcony and the Taygetus mountain range was behind our hotel and you can see a section of it in this photograph.
We were told about a bar/restaurant on the side of the mountain and we went there twice, once for a drink and once for a meal. It's an amazing place. Built 25 years ago and still a work in progress, it's called Kastraki, small castle, and this is what it is. It's a whimsy. A folly. Great fun.
A water fountain by the entrance
and then we walked in through this arch, and our first reaction was ... wow....
High up on the mountain the place affords the most fantastic views and the whole time we were there, particularly the first night when we sat in the bar, we were enchanted. The whole of the Messinian bay was at our feet - a fairy-tale castle, with fairy-tale views. The moon was very bright, and this was our first view as we walked in.
Built on levels the views of the place itself are interesting too
On our left we could see the silver path of the moon and this amphitheatre where the dancing takes place, cushions on the levels to sit while watching the dancers
In front and to the right, was the whole of Kalamata, laid out for us, illuminated, mesmerising
We could not get enough of that view
The night we visited was Latin night, and after midnight people started dancing to the music
What should one look at? The dancers or the moon? A dilemma
Going to the toilet was an experience in itself, this vaulted ceiling is marvellous
the toilet door
detail
We had the choice of leaving via a different way and we took it
a last look at the moon - it was 1:30 in the morning by then
a last look at the bay and Kalamata
Spectacular.
